Chapter XX: Part 20

National Assembly:
last held on 26 June 1988 (next to be held NA 1992); results - UDPM was the
only party; seats - (82 total) UDPM 82; note - following the military coup
of 26 March 1991, President TRAORE was deposed and the UDPM was disbanded;
the 25-member CTSP has instituted a multiparty system, and presidential
elections are to be held on 26 March 1992 and legislative elections on 9
February 1992 (new National Assembly to have 116 seats)
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM,
OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Mohamed Alhousseyni TOURE; Chancery at 2130 R Street NW,
Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 332-2249 or 939-8950
US:
Ambassador Herbert D. GELBER; Embassy at Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed
V., Bamako (mailing address is B. P. 34, Bamako); telephone [223] 225470;
FAX [233] 22-80-59
Flag:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red; uses the
popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

:Mali Economy

Overview:
Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with about 70% of its land
area desert or semidesert. Economic activity is largely confined to the
riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population live as
nomads and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in agriculture and
fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $2.2 billion, per capita $265; real growth rate
2.2% (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-1.6% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $329 million; expenditures $519 million, including capital
expenditures of $178 (1989 est.)
Exports:
$285 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.)
commodities:
livestock, peanuts, dried fish, cotton, skins
partners:
mostly franc zone and Western Europe
Imports:
$513 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.)
commodities:
textiles, vehicles, petroleum products, machinery, sugar, cereals
partners:
mostly franc zone and Western Europe
External debt:
$2.2 billion (1989 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 19.9% (1989 est.); accounts for 7% of GDP
Electricity:
260,000 kW capacity; 750 million kWh produced, 90 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
small local consumer goods and processing, construction, phosphate, gold,
fishing
Agriculture:
accounts for 50% of GDP; most production based on small subsistence farms;
cotton and livestock products account for over 70% of exports; other crops -
millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; livestock - cattle, sheep, and
goats
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $349 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $3,020 million; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $92 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $190
million
Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural - francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF)
= 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 269.01 (January
1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54
(1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

:Mali Communications

Railroads:
642 km 1.000-meter gauge; linked to Senegal's rail system through Kayes
Highways:
about 15,700 km total; 1,670 km paved, 3,670 km gravel and improved earth,
10,360 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways:
1,815 km navigable
Civil air:
no major transport aircraft
Airports:
35 total, 27 usable; 8 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 10 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
domestic system poor but improving; provides only minimal service with radio
relay, wire, and radio communications stations; expansion of radio relay in
progress; 11,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV;
satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean
INTELSAT

:Mali Defense Forces

Branches:
Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard, National
Police, Surete Nationale
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 1,701,050; 966,293 fit for military service; no conscription
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $41 million, 2% of GDP (1989)

:Malta Geography

Total area:
320 km2
Land area:
320 km2
Comparative area:
slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
140 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone:
24 nm
Continental shelf:
200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation
Exclusive fishing zone:
25 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
none
Climate:
Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers
Terrain:
mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs
Natural resources:
limestone, salt
Land use:
arable land 38%; permanent crops 3%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and
woodland 0%; other 59%; includes irrigated 3%
Environment:
numerous bays provide good harbors; fresh water very scarce - increasing
reliance on desalination
Note:
strategic location in central Mediterranean, 93 km south of Sicily, 290 km
north of Libya

:Malta People

Population:
359,231 (July 1992), growth rate 0.8% (1992)
Birth rate:
14 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
8 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
1 migrant/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
7 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
74 years male, 79 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
2.0 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Maltese (singular and plural); adjective - Maltese
Ethnic divisions:
mixture of Arab, Sicilian, Norman, Spanish, Italian, English
Religions:
Roman Catholic 98%
Languages:
Maltese and English (official)
Literacy:
84% (male 86%, female 82%) age 15 and over can read and write (1985)
Labor force:
127,200; government (excluding job corps) 37%, services 26%, manufacturing
22%, training programs 9%, construction 4%, agriculture 2% (1990)
Organized labor:
about 40% of labor force

:Malta Government

Long-form name:
Republic of Malta
Type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Valletta
Administrative divisions:
none (administration directly from Valletta)
Independence:
21 September 1964 (from UK)
Constitution:
26 April 1974, effective 2 June 1974
Legal system:
based on English common law and Roman civil law; has accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 September
Executive branch:
president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Representatives
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court and Court of Appeal
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Vincent (Censu) TABONE (since 4 April 1989)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Dr. Edward (Eddie) FENECH ADAMI (since 12 May 1987); Deputy
Prime Minister Dr. Guido DE MARCO (since 14 May 1987)
Political parties and leaders:
Nationalist Party (NP), Edward FENECH ADAMI; Malta Labor Party (MLP), Alfred
SANT
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
House of Representatives:
last held on 22 February 1992 (next to be held by February 1997); results -
NP 51.8%, MLP 46.5%; seats - (usually 65 total) MLP 36, NP 29; note -
additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to
ensure a legislative majority; current total 69 (MLP 33, NP 36 after
adjustment)
Member of:
C, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, ILO,
IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Albert BORG OLIVIER DE PUGET; Chancery at 2017 Connecticut Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 462-3611 or 3612; there is a
Maltese Consulate General in New York
US:
Ambassador Sally J. NOVETZKE; Embassy at 2nd Floor, Development House, Saint
Anne Street, Floriana, Valletta (mailing address is P. O. Box 535,
Valletta); telephone [356] 240424, 240425, 243216, 243217, 243653, 223654;
FAX same as phone numbers
Flag:
two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper
hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross, edged in red

:Malta Economy

Overview:
Significant resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and a
productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has
limited freshwater supplies, and has no domestic energy sources.
Consequently, the economy is highly dependent on foreign trade and services.
Manufacturing and tourism are the largest contributors to the economy.
Manufacturing accounts for about 27% of GDP, with the electronics and
textile industries major contributors. In 1990 inflation was held to a low
3.0%. Per capita GDP at $7,000 places Malta in the middle-income range of
the world's nations.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $2.5 billion, per capita $7,000 (1991 est.); real
growth rate 5.5% (1990)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.0% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
3.8% (1990)
Budget:
revenues $1.3 billion; expenditures $1.3 billion, including capital
expenditures of $380 million (1992 plan)
Exports:
$l.1 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
clothing, textiles, footwear, ships
partners:
Italy 30%, Germany 22%, UK 11%
Imports:
$2.0 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
food, petroleum, machinery and semimanufactured goods
partners:
Italy 30%, UK 16%, Germany 13%, US 4%
External debt:
$90 million, medium and long term (December 1987)
Industrial production:
growth rate 19.0% (1990); accounts for 27% of GDP
Electricity:
328,000 kW capacity; 1,110 million kWh produced, 2,990 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
tourism, electronics, ship repair yard, construction, food manufacturing,
textiles, footwear, clothing, beverages, tobacco
Agriculture:
accounts for 3% of GDP; overall, 20% self-sufficient; main products -
potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers,
green peppers, hogs, poultry, eggs; generally adequate supplies of
vegetables, poultry, milk, pork products; seasonal or periodic shortages in
grain, animal fodder, fruits, other basic foodstuffs
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $172 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $336 million; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $76 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $48
million
Currency:
Maltese lira (plural - liri); 1 Maltese lira (LM) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
Maltese liri (LM) per US$1 - 0.3257 (March 1992), 0.3004 (1991), 0.3172
(1990), 0.3483 (1989), 0.3306 (1988), 0.3451 (1987)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

:Malta Communications

Highways:
1,291 km total; 1,179 km paved (asphalt), 77 km crushed stone or gravel, 35
km improved and unimproved earth
Ports:
Valletta, Marsaxlokk
Merchant marine:
658 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,003,001 GRT/15,332,287 DWT;
includes 3 passenger, 13 short-sea passenger, 241 cargo, 14 container, 2
passenger-cargo, 16 roll-on/roll-off, 2 vehicle carrier, 1 barge carrier, 15
refrigerated cargo, 11 chemical tanker, 12 combination ore/oil, 2
specialized tanker, 3 liquefied gas, 124 petroleum tanker, 176 bulk, 23
combination bulk; note - a flag of convenience registry; China owns 2 ships,
former republics of the USSR own 52 ships, Cuba owns 10, Vietnam owns 6,
Yugoslavia owns 9, Romania owns 4
Civil air:
7 major transport aircraft
Airports:
1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m
Telecommunications:
automatic system satisfies normal requirements; 153,000 telephones;
excellent service by broadcast stations - 8 AM, 4 FM, and 2 TV; submarine
cable and radio relay between islands; international service by 1 submarine
cable; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

:Malta Defense Forces

Branches:
Armed Forces, Maltese Police Force
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 95,661; 76,267 fit for military service
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $21.9 million, 1.3% of GDP (1989 est.)

:Man, Isle of Geography

Total area:
588 km2
Land area:
588 km2
Comparative area:
slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
113 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
3 nm
Disputes:
none
Climate:
cool summers and mild winters; humid; overcast about half the time
Terrain:
hills in north and south bisected by central valley
Natural resources:
lead, iron ore
Land use:
arable land NA%; permanent crops NA%; meadows and pastures NA%; forest and
woodland NA%; other NA%; extensive arable land and forests
Environment:
strong westerly winds prevail
Note:
located in Irish Sea equidistant from England, Scotland, and Ireland

:Man, Isle of People

Population:
64,068 (July 1992), growth rate 0.1% (1992)
Birth rate:
11 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
14 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
4 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
9 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
72 years male, 78 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
1.8 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Manxman, Manxwoman; adjective - Manx
Ethnic divisions:
native Manx of Norse-Celtic descent; British
Religions:
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of
Friends
Languages:
English, Manx Gaelic
Literacy:
NA% (male NA%, female NA%) but compulsory education ages 5 to 16
Labor force:
25,864 (1981)
Organized labor:
22 labor unions patterned along British lines

:Man, Isle of Government

Long-form name:
none
Type:
British crown dependency
Capital:
Douglas
Administrative divisions:
none (British crown dependency)
Independence:
none (British crown dependency)
Constitution:
1961, Isle of Man Constitution Act
Legal system:
English law and local statute
National holiday:
Tynwald Day, 5 July
Executive branch:
British monarch, lieutenant governor, prime minister, Executive Council
(cabinet)
Legislative branch:
bicameral Tynwald consists of an upper house or Legislative Council and a
lower house or House of Keys
Judicial branch:
High Court of Justice
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by
Lieutenant Governor Air Marshal Sir Laurence JONES (since NA 1990)
Head of Government:
President of the Legislative Council Sir Charles KERRUISH (since NA 1990)
Political parties and leaders:
there is no party system and members sit as independents
Suffrage:
universal at age 21
Elections:
House of Keys:
last held in 1991 (next to be held NA 1996); results - percent of vote NA;
no party system; seats - (24 total) independents 24
Member of:
none
Diplomatic representation:
none (British crown dependency)
Flag:
red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center; the three
legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in order to have the toes
pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag, a two-sided emblem is used
ria), in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the
knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the
flag, a two-sided emblem is used

:Man, Isle of Economy

Overview:
Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy.
The government's policy of offering incentives to high-technology companies
and financial institutions to locate on the island has paid off in expanding
employment opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture
and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their
shares of GNP. Banking now contributes over 20% to GNP and manufacturing
about 15%. Trade is mostly with the UK.
GNP:
exchange rate conversion - $490 million, per capita $7,573; real growth rate
NA% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%
Unemployment rate:
1.5% (1988)
Budget:
revenues $130.4 million; expenditures $114.4 million, including capital
expenditures of $18.1 million (FY85 est.)
Exports:
$NA
commodities:
tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, meat
partners:
UK
Imports:
$NA
commodities:
timber, fertilizers, fish
partners:
UK
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
61,000 kW capacity; 190 million kWh produced, 2,930 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries:
an important offshore financial center; financial services, light
manufacturing, tourism
Agriculture:
cereals and vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry
Economic aid:
NA
Currency:
Manx pound (plural - pounds); 1 Manx pound (#M) = 100 pence
Exchange rates:
Manx pounds (#M) per US$1 - 0.5799 (March 1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603
(1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0. 6102 (1987); the Manx pound is at
par with the British pound
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

:Man, Isle of Communications

Railroads:
36 km electric track, 24 km steam track
Highways:
640 km motorable roads
Ports:
Douglas, Ramsey, Peel
Merchant marine:
79 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,436,196 GRT/2,479,432 DWT; includes
12 cargo, 7 container, 10 roll-on/roll-off, 30 petroleum tanker, 4 chemical
tanker, 5 liquefied gas, 11 bulk; note - a captive register of the United
Kingdom, although not all ships on the register are British owned
Airports:
1 total; 1 usable with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
24,435 telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, 4 FM, 4 TV

:Man, Isle of Defense Forces

Note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

:Marshall Islands Geography

Total area:
181.3 km2
Land area:
181.3 km2; includes the atolls of Bikini, Eniwetok, and Kwajalein
Comparative area:
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
370.4 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone:
24 nm
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
claims US territory of Wake Island
Climate:
wet season May to November; hot and humid; islands border typhoon belt
Terrain:
low coral limestone and sand islands
Natural resources:
phosphate deposits, marine products, deep seabed minerals
Land use:
arable land 0%; permanent crops 60%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and
woodland 0%; other 40%
Environment:
occasionally subject to typhoons; two archipelagic island chains of 30
atolls and 1,152 islands
Note:
located 3,825 km southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about
two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and Papua New Guinea; Bikini and
Eniwetok are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War
II battleground, is now used as a US missile test range

:Marshall Islands People

Population:
50,004 (July 1992), growth rate 3.9% (1992)
Birth rate:
47 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
8 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
52 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
61 years male, 64 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
7.0 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Marshallese (singular and plural); adjective - Marshallese
Ethnic divisions:
almost entirely Micronesian
Religions:
predominantly Christian, mostly Protestant
Languages:
English universally spoken and is the official language; two major
Marshallese dialects from Malayo-Polynesian family; Japanese
Literacy:
93% (male 100%, female 88%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
Labor force:
4,800 (1986)
Organized labor:
none

:Marshall Islands Government

Long-form name:
Republic of the Marshall Islands
Type:
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of
Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986
Capital:
Majuro
Administrative divisions:
none
Independence:
21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship; formerly the
Marshall Islands District of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
Constitution:
1 May 1979
Legal system:
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal,
common, and customary laws
National holiday:
Proclamation of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, 1 May (1979)
Executive branch:
president, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral Nitijela (parliament)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President Amata KABUA (since 1979)
Political parties and leaders:
no formal parties; President KABUA is chief political (and traditional)
leader
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
President:
last held 6 January 1992 (next to be held NA; results - President Amata
KABUA was reelected
Parliament:
last held 18 November 1991 (next to be held November 1995); results -
percent of vote NA; seats - (33 total)
Member of:
AsDB, ESCAP (associate), ICAO, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Wilfred I. KENDALL; Chancery at 2433 Massachusetts Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 234-5414
US:
Ambassador William BODDE, Jr.; Embassy at NA address (mailing address is P.
O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960-1379); telephone
(011) 692-4011; FAX (011) 692-4012
Flag:
blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner - orange
(top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays and 20 small
rays on the hoist side above the two stripes

:Marshall Islands Economy

Overview:
Agriculture and tourism are the mainstays of the economy. Agricultural
production is concentrated on small farms, and the most important commercial
crops are coconuts, tomatoes, melons, and breadfruit. A few cattle ranches
supply the domestic meat market. Small-scale industry is limited to
handicrafts, fish processing, and copra. The tourist industry is the primary
source of foreign exchange and employs about 10% of the labor force. The
islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports. In 1987
the US Government provided grants of $40 million out of the Marshallese
budget of $55 million.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $63 million, per capita $1,500; real growth rate
NA% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $55 million; expenditures NA, including capital expenditures of NA
(1987 est.)
Exports:
$2.5 million (f.o.b., 1985)
commodities:
copra, copra oil, agricultural products, handicrafts
partners:
NA
Imports:
$29.2 million (c.i.f., 1985)
commodities:
foodstuffs, beverages, building materials
partners:
NA
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
42,000 kW capacity; 80 million kWh produced, 1,840 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries:
copra, fish, tourism; craft items from shell, wood, and pearls; offshore
banking (embryonic)
Agriculture:
coconuts, cacao, taro, breadfruit, fruits, copra; pigs, chickens
Economic aid:
under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US is to provide
approximately $40 million in aid annually
Currency:
US currency is used
Exchange rates:
US currency is used
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

:Marshall Islands Communications

Highways:
paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-,
or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks
Ports:
Majuro
Merchant marine:
32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,347,312 GRT/4,630,172 DWT; includes
2 cargo, 1 container, 9 petroleum tanker, 18 bulk carrier, 2 combination
ore/oil; note - a flag of convenience registry
Airports:
17 total, 16 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; 8 with runways
1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
telephone network - 570 lines (Majuro) and 186 (Ebeye); telex services;
islands interconnected by shortwave radio (used mostly for government
purposes); broadcast stations - 1 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV, 1 shortwave; 2 Pacific
Ocean INTELSAT earth stations; US Government satellite communications system
on Kwajalein

:Marshall Islands Defense Forces

Note:
defense is the responsibility of the US

:Martinique Geography

Total area:
1,100 km2
Land area:
1,060 km2
Comparative area:
slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
290 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October)
Terrain:
mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano
Natural resources:
coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land
Land use:
arable land 10%; permanent crops 8%; meadows and pastures 30%; forest and
woodland 26%; other 26%; includes irrigated 5%
Environment:
subject to hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity that result in an
average of one major natural disaster every five years
Note:
located 625 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea

:Martinique People

Population:
371,803 (July 1992), growth rate 1.4% (1992)
Birth rate:
19 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
6 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
1 migrant/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
11 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
75 years male, 81 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
1.9 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Martiniquais (singular and plural); adjective - Martiniquais
Ethnic divisions:
African and African-Caucasian-Indian mixture 90%, Caucasian 5%, East Indian,
Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%
Languages:
French, Creole patois
Literacy:
93% (male 92%, female 93%) age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
Labor force:
100,000; service industry 31.7%, construction and public works 29.4%,
agriculture 13.1%, industry 7.3%, fisheries 2.2%, other 16.3%
Organized labor:
11% of labor force

:Martinique Government

Long-form name:
Department of Martinique
Type:
overseas department of France
Capital:
Fort-de-France
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France)
Independence:
none (overseas department of France)
Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
French legal system
National holiday:
Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Executive branch:
government commissioner
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
Head of Government:
Government Commissioner Jean Claude ROURE (since 5 May 1989); President of
the General Council Emile MAURICE (since NA 1988)
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
General Council:
last held in October 1988 (next to be held by March 1991); results - percent
of vote by party NA; seats - (44 total) number of seats by party NA
Regional Assembly:
last held on 16 March 1986 (next to be held by March 1992); results -
UDF/RPR coalition 49.8%, PPM/FSM/PCM coalition 41.3%, other 8.9%; seats -
(41 total) PPM/FSM/PCM coalition 21, UDF/RPR coalition 20
French Senate:
last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) UDF 1, PPM 1
French National Assembly:
last held on 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (4 total) PPM 1, FSM 1, RPR 1, UDF 1
Communists:
1,000 (est.)
Other political or pressure groups:
Proletarian Action Group (GAP); Alhed Marie-Jeanne Socialist Revolution
Group (GRS); Martinique Independence Movement (MIM); Caribbean Revolutionary
Alliance (ARC); Central Union for Martinique Workers (CSTM), Marc Pulvar;
Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants
Member of:
FZ, WCL
Diplomatic representation:
as an overseas department of France, Martiniquais interests are represented
in the US by France

:Martinique Government

US:
Consul General Raymond G. ROBINSON; Consulate General at 14 Rue Blenac,
Fort-de-France (mailing address is B. P. 561, Fort-de-France 97206);
telephone [596] 63-13-03
Flag:
the flag of France is used

:Martinique Economy

Overview:
The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light industry.
Agriculture accounts for about 12% of GDP and the small industrial sector
for 10%. Sugar production has declined, with most of the sugarcane now used
for the production of rum. Banana exports are increasing, going mostly to
France. The bulk of meat, vegetable, and grain requirements must be
imported, contributing to a chronic trade deficit that requires large annual
transfers of aid from France. Tourism has become more important than
agricultural exports as a source of foreign exchange. The majority of the
work force is employed in the service sector and in administration. In 1986
per capita GDP was relatively high at $6,000. During 1986 the unemployment
rate was 30% and was particularly severe among younger workers.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $2.0 billion, per capita $6,000; real growth rate
NA% (1986)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.9% (1989)
Unemployment rate:
30% (1986)
Budget:
revenues $268 million; expenditures $268 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)
Exports:
$196 million (f.o.b., 1988)
commodities:
refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples
partners:
France 65%, Guadeloupe 24%, Germany (1987)
Imports:
$1.3 billion (c.i.f., 1988)
commodities:
petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing
and other consumer goods
partners:
France 65%, UK, Italy, Germany, Japan, US (1987)
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
113,100 kW capacity; 588 million kWh produced, 1,703 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism
Agriculture:
including fishing and forestry, accounts for about 12% of GDP; principal
crops - pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, and sugarcane
for rum; dependent on imported food, particularly meat and vegetables
Economic aid:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
$10.1 billion
Currency:
French franc (plural - francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.3801 (January 1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453
(1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

:Martinique Communications

Highways:
1,680 km total; 1,300 km paved, 380 km gravel and earth
Ports:
Fort-de-France
Civil air:
no major transport aircraft
Airports:
2 total; 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runway
2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways less than 2,439 m
Telecommunications:
domestic facilities are adequate; 68,900 telephones; interisland radio relay
links to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; broadcast stations - 1 AM, 6
FM, 10 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

:Martinique Defense Forces

Branches:
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 95,235; NA fit for military service
Note:
defense is the responsibility of France

:Mauritania Geography

Total area:
1,030,700 km2
Land area:
1,030,400 km2
Comparative area:
slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico
Land boundaries:
5,074 km; Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara
1,561 km
Coastline:
754 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf:
edge of continental margin or 200 nm
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
boundary with Senegal
Climate:
desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
Terrain:
mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
Natural resources:
iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper, phosphate
Land use:
arable land 1%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 38%; forest and
woodland 5%; other 56%; includes irrigated NEGL%
Environment:
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April;
desertification; only perennial river is the Senegal

:Mauritania People

Population:
2,059,187 (July 1992), growth rate 3.1% (1992)
Birth rate:
48 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
17 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
89 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
44 years male, 50 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
7.1 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Mauritanian(s); adjective - Mauritanian
Ethnic divisions:
mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30%
Religions:
Muslim, nearly 100%
Languages:
Hasaniya Arabic (official); Hasaniya Arabic, Pular, Soninke, Wolof
(official)
Literacy:
34% (male 47%, female 21%) age 10 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
465,000 (1981 est.); 45,000 wage earners (1980); agriculture 47%, services
29%, industry and commerce 14%, government 10%; 53% of population of working
age (1985)
Organized labor:
30,000 members claimed by single union, Mauritanian Workers' Union

:Mauritania Government

Long-form name:
Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Type:
republic; military first seized power in bloodless coup 10 July 1978; a
palace coup that took place on 12 December 1984 brought President Taya to
power; he was elected in 1992
Capital:
Nouakchott
Administrative divisions:
12 regions(regions, singular - region); Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet
Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh ech Chargui, Hodh el Gharbi, Inchiri,
Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza; note - there may be a new capital district of
Nouakchott
Independence:
28 November 1960 (from France)
Constitution:
currently 12 July 1991; 20 May 1961 Constitution abrogated after coup of 10
July 1978; provisional constitution published 17 December 1980 but abandoned
in 1981; constitutional charter published 27 February 1985 after Taya came
to power; latest constitution approved after general referendum 12 July 1991
Legal system:
based on Islamic law
National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1960)
Executive branch:
president
Legislative branch:
National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) and Senate
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid`Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984)
Political parties and leaders:
legalized by constitution passed 12 July 1991; emerging parties include
Democratic and Social Republican Party (PRDS), led by President Col. Maaouya
Ould Sid`Ahmed TAYA; Union of Democratic Forces (UDF), coalition of seven
opposition factions, three leaders: Mohameden Ould BABAH, Diop Mamadou
AMADOU, and Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR; Assembly for Democracy (RDU), Mohamed
Ould SIDI BABA; Rally for Democracy and Unity (RDUN), Mohamed Ould Sidi
BABA; Popular Social and Democratic Union (UPSD), Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH;
Progressive Popular Alliance (APP), Taleb Ould Jiddou Ould Mohamed LAGHDAF;
Mauritanian Party for Renewal (PMR), Moulaye El Hassan Ould JEYID; National
Avant-Garde Party (PAN or PAGN), Khattry Ould Taleb JIDDOU; Mauritanian
Party of the Democratic Center (PCDM), Bamba Ould SIDI BADI; Union for
Planning and Construction (UPC), Mohamed Ould EYAHA; Democratic Justice
Party (PJD), Mohamed Abdallahi Ould EL BANE; Party for Liberty, Equality,
and Justice (PLEJ), Ba Mamadou ALASSANE; Labor and National Unity Party
(PTUN), Ali Bouna Ould OUENINA
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
President:
last held January 1992 (next to be held NA)
results:
President Col. Maabuya Ould Sid`Ahmed TAYA elected
Senate:
last held 3 and 10 April 1992 (next to be held April 1998)

:Mauritania Government

National Assembly:
last held 6 and 13 March 1992 (next to be held NA 1997)
Member of:
ABEDA, ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, CEAO,
ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF,
IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Mohamed Fall OULD AININA; Chancery at 2129 Leroy Place NW,
Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 232-5700
US:
Ambassador Gordon S. BROWN; Embassy at address NA, Nouakchott (mailing
address is B. P. 222, Nouakchott); telephone [222] (2) 526-60 or 526-63; FAX
[222] (2) 515-92
Flag:
green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal crescent;
the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent, star, and color green
are traditional symbols of Islam

:Mauritania Economy

Overview:
A majority of the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for
a livelihood, even though most of the nomads and many subsistence farmers
were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s.
Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account for almost 50%
of total exports. The decline in world demand for this ore, however, has led
to cutbacks in production. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest
fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens
this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near
Nouakchott in 1986. In recent years, the droughts, the endemic conflict with
Senegal, rising energy costs, and economic mismanagement have resulted in a
substantial buildup of foreign debt. The government has begun the second
stage of an economic reform program in consultation with the World Bank, the
IMF, and major donor countries. But the reform process suffered a major
setback following the Gulf war of early 1991. Because of Mauritania's
support of Saddam Husayn, bilateral aid from its two top donors, Saudi
Arabia and Kuwait, was suspended, and multilateral aid was reduced.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $1.1 billion, per capita $535; real growth rate
3% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.5% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate:
20% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues $280 million; expenditures $346 million, including capital
expenditures of $61 million (1989 est.)
Exports:
$436 million (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
iron ore, processed fish, small amounts of gum arabic and gypsum; unrecorded
but numerically significant cattle exports to Senegal
partners:
EC 43%, Japan 27%, USSR 11%, Ivory Coast 3%
Imports:
$389 million (c.i.f., 1990)
commodities:
foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, capital goods
partners:
EC 60%, Algeria 15%, China 6%, US 3%
External debt:
$1.9 billion (1990)
Industrial production:
growth rate 4.4% (1988 est.); accounts for almost 20% of GDP
Electricity:
190,000 kW capacity; 135 million kWh produced, 70 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
fishing, fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum
Agriculture:
accounts for 29% of GDP (including fishing); largely subsistence farming and
nomadic cattle and sheep herding except in Senegal river valley; crops -
dates, millet, sorghum, root crops; fish products number-one export; large
food deficit in years of drought
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $168 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.3 billion; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $490 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $277
million; Arab Development Bank (1991), $20 million

:Mauritania Economy

Currency:
ouguiya (plural - ouguiya); 1 ouguiya (UM) = 5 khoums
Exchange rates:
ouguiya (UM) per US$1 - 79.300 (January 1992), 81.946 (1991), 80.609 (1990),
83.051 (1989), 75.261 (1988), 73.878 (1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

:Mauritania Communications

Railroads:
690 km 1.435-meter (standard) gauge, single track, owned and operated by
government mining company
Highways:
7,525 km total; 1,685 km paved; 1,040 km gravel, crushed stone, or otherwise
improved; 4,800 km unimproved roads, trails, tracks
Inland waterways:
mostly ferry traffic on the Senegal River
Ports:
Nouadhibou, Nouakchott
Merchant marine:
1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,290 GRT/1,840 DWT
Civil air:
3 major transport aircraft
Airports:
28 total, 28 usable; 9 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 16 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
poor system of cable and open-wire lines, minor radio relay links, and radio
communications stations (improvements being made); broadcast stations - 2
AM, no FM, 1 TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 2
ARABSAT, with six planned

:Mauritania Defense Forces

Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard, National
Police, Presidential Guard
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 436,897; 213,307 fit for military service; conscription law not
implemented
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $40 million, 4.2% of GDP (1989)

:Mauritius Geography

Total area:
1,860 km2
Land area:
1,850 km2; includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint
Brandon), and Rodrigues
Comparative area:
slightly less than 10.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
177 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf:
edge of continental margin or 200 nm
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
claims UK-administered Chagos Archipelago, which includes the island of
Diego Garcia in UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory; claims
French-administered Tromelin Island
Climate:
tropical modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to
November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
Terrain:
small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central
plateau
Natural resources:
arable land, fish
Land use:
arable land 54%; permanent crops 4%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and
woodland 31%; other 7%; includes irrigated 9%
Environment:
subject to cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by
reefs
Note:
located 900 km east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean

:Mauritius People

Population:
1,092,130 (July 1992), growth rate 0.8% (1992)
Birth rate:
19 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
7 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
-4 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
22 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
66 years male, 73 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
2.1 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Mauritian(s); adjective - Mauritian
Ethnic divisions:
Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%
Religions:
Hindu 52%, Christian (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%) 28.3%, Muslim
16.6%, other 3.1%
Languages:
English (official), Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bojpoori
Literacy:
82.8 % (male 88.7%, female 77.1%) age 13 and over can read and write (1985
UNESCO estimate)
Labor force:
335,000; government services 29%, agriculture and fishing 27%, manufacturing
22%, other 22%; 43% of population of working age (1985)
Organized labor:
35% of labor force in more than 270 unions

:Mauritius Government

Long-form name:
none
Type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Port Louis
Administrative divisions:
9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados
Carajos*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port
Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne
Independence:
12 March 1968 (from UK)
Constitution:
12 March 1968
Legal system:
based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in
certain areas
National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
Executive branch:
British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister,
Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General
Sir Veerasamy RINGADOO (since 17 January 1986)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 12 June 1982); Deputy Prime
Minister Prem NABABSING (since 26 September 1990)
Political parties and leaders:
government coalition:
Militant Socialist Movement (MSM), A. JUGNAUTH; Mauritian Militant Movement
(MMM), Paul BERENGER; Organization of the People of Rodrigues (OPR), Louis
Serge CLAIR; Democratic Labor Movement (MTD), Anil BAICHOO
opposition:
Mauritian Labor Party (MLP), Navin RAMGOOLMAN; Socialist Workers Front,
Sylvio MICHEL; Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD), G. DUVAL
Elections:
Legislative Assembly:
last held on 15 September 1991 (next to be held by 15 September 1996);
results - MSM/MMM 53%, MLP/PMSD 38%; seats - (70 total, 62 elected) MSM/MMM
alliance 59 (MSM 29, MMM 26, OPR 2, MTD 2); MLP/PMSD 3
Communists:
may be 2,000 sympathizers
Other political or pressure groups:
various labor unions
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
LORCS, NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Chitmansing JESSERAMSING; Chancery at Suite 134, 4301 Connecticut
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 244-1491 or 1492

:Mauritius Government

US:
Ambassador Penne Percy KORTH; Embassy at 4th Floor, Rogers House, John
Kennedy Street, Port Louis; telephone [230] 208-9763 through 208-9767; FAX
[230] 208-9534
Flag:
four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green

:Mauritius Economy

Overview:
The economy is based on sugar, manufacturing (mainly textiles), and tourism.
Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for
40% of export earnings. The government's development strategy is centered on
industrialization (with a view to exports), agricultural diversification,
and tourism. Economic performance in FY91 was impressive, with 6% real
growth and low unemployment.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $2.5 billion, per capita $2,300; real growth rate
6.1% (FY91 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
13.2% (FY91 est.)
Unemployment rate:
2.4% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues $557 million; expenditures $607 million, including capital
expenditures of $111 million (FY90)
Exports:
$1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
textiles 44%, sugar 40%, light manufactures 10%
partners:
EC and US have preferential treatment, EC 77%, US 15%
Imports:
$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
manufactured goods 50%, capital equipment 17%, foodstuffs 13%, petroleum
products 8%, chemicals 7%
partners:
EC, US, South Africa, Japan
External debt:
$869 million (1991 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 12.9% (FY87); accounts for 25% of GDP
Electricity:
235,000 kW capacity; 425 million kWh produced, 395 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, wearing apparel,
chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery,
tourism
Agriculture:
accounts for 10% of GDP; about 90% of cultivated land in sugarcane; other
products - tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses, cattle, goats, fish; net
food importer, especially rice and fish
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $76 million; Western (non-US)
countries (1970-89), $709 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $54
million
Currency:
Mauritian rupee (plural - rupees); 1 Mauritian rupee (MauR) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
Mauritian rupees (MauRs) per US$1 - 15.198 (January 1992), 15.652 (1991),
14.839 (1990), 15.250 (1989), 13.438 (1988), 12.878 (1987)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

:Mauritius Communications

Highways:
1,800 km total; 1,640 km paved, 160 km earth
Ports:
Port Louis
Merchant marine:
9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 94,710 GRT/150,345 DWT; includes 1
passenger-cargo, 3 cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off, 1 liquefied gas, 3 bulk
Civil air:
7 major transport aircraft
Airports:
5 total, 4 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over
3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
small system with good service utilizing primarily radio relay; new
microwave link to Reunion; high-frequency radio links to several countries;
over 48,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, 4 TV; 1 Indian
Ocean INTELSAT earth station

:Mauritius Defense Forces

Branches:
paramilitary Special Mobile Force, Special Support Unit, National Police
Force, National Coast Guard
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 307,237; 157,246 fit for military service
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $5 million, 0.2% of GDP (FY89)

:Mayotte Geography

Total area:
375 km2
Land area:
375 km2
Comparative area:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
185.2 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
claimed by Comoros
Climate:
tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon
(November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)
Terrain:
generally undulating with ancient volcanic peaks, deep ravines
Natural resources:
negligible
Land use:
arable land NA%; permanent crops NA%; meadows and pastures NA%; forest and
woodland NA%; other NA%
Environment:
subject to cyclones during rainy season
Note:
part of Comoro Archipelago; located in the Mozambique Channel about halfway
between Africa and Madagascar

:Mayotte People

Population:
86,628 (July 1992), growth rate 3.8% (1992)
Birth rate:
50 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
12 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
84 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
55 years male, 59 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
6.9 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Mahorais (singular and plural); adjective - Mahoran
Religions:
Muslim 99%; remainder Christian, mostly Roman Catholic
Languages:
Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French
Literacy:
NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Labor force:
NA
Organized labor:
NA

:Mayotte Government

Long-form name:
Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
Type:
territorial collectivity of France
Capital:
Mamoutzou
Administrative divisions:
none (territorial collectivity of France)
Independence:
none (territorial collectivity of France)
Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
French law
National holiday:
Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Executive branch:
government commissioner
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council (Conseil General)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Tribunal Superieur d'Appel)
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
Head of Government:
Commissioner, Representative of the French Government Jean-Paul COSTE (since
NA 1991); President of the General Council Youssouf BAMANA (since NA 1976)
Political parties and leaders:
Mahoran Popular Movement (MPM), Younoussa BAMANA; Party for the Mahoran
Democratic Rally (PRDM), Daroueche MAOULIDA; Mahoran Rally for the Republic
(RMPR), Mansour KAMARDINE; Union of the Center (UDC)
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
General Council:
last held June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results - percent of vote
by party NA; seats - (17 total) MPM 9, RPR 6, other 2
French Senate:
last held on 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) MPM 1
French National Assembly:
last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results - percent
of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) UDC 1
Member of:
FZ
Diplomatic representation:
as a territorial collectivity of France, Mahoran interests are represented
in the US by France
Flag:
the flag of France is used

:Mayotte Economy

Overview:
Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector, including
fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must
import a large portion of its food requirements, mainly from France. The
economy and future development of the island is heavily dependent on French
financial assistance.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $NA; expenditures $37.3 million, including capital expenditures of
$NA (1985)
Exports:
$4.0 million (f.o.b., 1984)
commodities:
ylang-ylang, vanilla
partners:
France 79%, Comoros 10%, Reunion 9%
Imports:
$21.8 million (f.o.b., 1984)
commodities:
building materials, transportation equipment, rice, clothing, flour
partners:
France 57%, Kenya 16%, South Africa 11%, Pakistan 8%
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
NA kW capacity; NA million kWh produced, NA kWh per capita
Industries:
newly created lobster and shrimp industry
Agriculture:
most important sector; provides all export earnings; crops - vanilla,
ylang-ylang, coffee, copra; imports major share of food needs
Economic aid:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
$402 million
Currency:
French franc (plural - francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.3801 (January 1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453
(1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

:Mayotte Communications

Highways:
42 km total; 18 km bituminous
Ports:
Dzaoudzi
Civil air:
no major transport aircraft
Airports:
1 with permanent-surface runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
small system administered by French Department of Posts and
Telecommunications; includes radio relay and high-frequency radio
communications for links to Comoros and international communications; 450
telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV

:Mayotte Defense Forces

Note:
defense is the responsibility of France

:Mexico Geography

Total area:
1,972,550 km2
Land area:
1,923,040 km2
Comparative area:
slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
4,538 km; Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,326 km
Coastline:
9,330 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone:
24 nm
Continental shelf:
natural prolongation of continental margin or 200 nm
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
claims Clipperton Island (French possession)
Climate:
varies from tropical to desert
Terrain:
high, rugged mountains, low coastal plains, high plateaus, and desert
Natural resources:
crude oil, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber
Land use:
arable land 12%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 39%; forest and
woodland 24%; other 24%; includes irrigated 3%
Environment:
subject to tsunamis along the Pacific coast and destructive earthquakes in
the center and south; natural water resources scarce and polluted in north,
inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast;
deforestation; erosion widespread; desertification; serious air pollution in
Mexico City and urban centers along US-Mexico border
Note:
strategic location on southern border of US

:Mexico People

Population:
92,380,721 (July 1992), growth rate 2.3% (1992)
Birth rate:
29 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
5 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
-1 migrant/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
30 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
69 years male, 76 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
3.3 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Mexican(s); adjective - Mexican
Ethnic divisions:
mestizo (Indian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%,
Caucasian or predominantly Caucasian 9%, other 1%
Religions:
nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%
Languages:
Spanish; various Mayan dialects
Literacy:
87% (male 90%, female 85%) age 15 and over can read and write (1985 est.)
Labor force:
26,100,000 (1988); services 31.4%, agriculture, forestry, hunting, and
fishing 26%, commerce 13.9%, manufacturing 12.8%, construction 9.5%,
transportation 4.8%, mining and quarrying 1.3%, electricity 0.3% (1986)
Organized labor:
35% of labor force

:Mexico Government

Long-form name:
United Mexican States
Type:
federal republic operating under a centralized government
Capital:
Mexico
Administrative divisions:
31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito
federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche,
Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Distrito Federal*, Durango,
Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan, Morelos, Nayarit,
Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi,
Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Yucatan, Zacatecas
Independence:
16 September 1810 (from Spain)
Constitution:
5 February 1917
Legal system:
mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday:
Independence Day, 16 September (1810)
Executive branch:
president, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress (Congreso de la Union) consists of an upper
chamber or Senate (Camara de Senadores) and a lower chamber or Chamber of
Deputies (Camara de Diputados)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President Carlos SALINAS de Gortari (since 1 December 1988)
Political parties and leaders:
(recognized parties) Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), Genaro BORREGO
Estrada; National Action Party (PAN), Luis ALVAREZ; Popular Socialist Party
(PPS), Indalecio SAYAGO Herrera; Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD),
Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano; Cardenist Front for the National
Reconstruction Party (PFCRN), Rafael AGUILAR Talamantes; Authentic Party of
the Mexican Revolution (PARM), Carlos Enrique CANTU Rosas
Suffrage:
universal and compulsory (but not enforced) at age 18
Elections:
President:
last held on 6 July 1988 (next to be held September 1994); results - Carlos
SALINAS de Gortari (PRI) 50.74%, Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (FDN) 31.06%,
Manuel CLOUTHIER (PAN) 16.81%; other 1.39%; note - several of the smaller
parties ran a common candidate under a coalition called the National
Democratic Front (FDN)
Senate:
last held on 18 August 1988 (next to be held midyear 1994); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats in full Senate - (64 total) number of
seats by party; PRI 61, PRD 2, PAN 1
Chamber of Deputies:
last held on 18 August 1991 (next to be held midyear 1994); results - PRI
53%, PAN 20%, PFCRN 10%, PPS 6%, PARM 7%, PMS (now part of PRD) 4%; seats -
(500 total) PRI 320, PAN 89, PRD 41, PFCRN 23, PARM 15, PPS 12

:Mexico Government

Other political or pressure groups:
Roman Catholic Church, Confederation of Mexican Workers (CTM), Confederation
of Industrial Chambers (CONCAMIN), Confederation of National Chambers of
Commerce (CONCANACO), National Peasant Confederation (CNC), UNE (no
expansion), Revolutionary Workers Party (PRT), Mexican Democratic Party
(PDM), Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants (CROC), Regional
Confederation of Mexican Workers (CROM), Confederation of Employers of the
Mexican Republic (COPARMEX), National Chamber of Transformation Industries
(CANACINTRA), Coordinator for Foreign Trade Business Organizations (COECE)
Member of:
AG (observer), CARICOM (observer) CCC, CDB, CG, EBRD, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-6,
G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
LAES, LAIA, LORCS, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Gustavo PETRICIOLI Iturbide; Chancery at 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20006; telephone (202) 728-1600; there are Mexican
Consulates General in Chicago, Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Los
Angeles, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Antonio, San Diego, and
Consulates in Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Brownsville (Texas),
Calexico (California), Corpus Christi, Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas
(Arizona), Eagle Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Kansas City (Missouri),
Laredo, McAllen (Texas), Miami, Nogales (Arizona), Oxnard (California),
Philadelphia, Phoenix, Presidio (Texas), Sacramento, St. Louis, St. Paul
(Minneapolis), Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto
Rico), and Seattle
US:
Ambassador John D. NEGROPONTE, Jr.; Embassy at Paseo de la Reforma 305,
06500 Mexico, D.F. (mailing address is P. O. Box 3087, Laredo, TX
78044-3087); telephone [52] (5) 211-0042; FAX [52] (5) 511-9980, 208-3373;
there are US Consulates General in Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey,
and Tijuana, and Consulates in Hermosillo, Matamoros, Mazatlan, Merida, and
Nuevo Laredo
Flag:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; the coat
of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its beak) is centered
in the white band

:Mexico Economy